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Heroes to Heroes Helps Wounded U.S. Vets Recover

(Christian Science Monitor) Margaret Price - After leaving Iraq as a wounded soldier in 2004, Harrison Manyoma of Humble, Texas, remained haunted by his experiences, which had culminated in a roadside car bomb explosion. Last year, he learned of Heroes to Heroes, the organization that takes groups of wounded U.S. war veterans, especially those diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, on a trip to Israel. For Mr. Manyoma, that journey produced an emotional bridge to healing. Since returning from Israel, his nightmares have disappeared. "And I've gotten a sense of peace that I'd thought I'd never find again." Why Israel? Many American soldiers, returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan shaken and numbed by bloody conflict, have found their communities - and sometimes their families - can't relate to their condition, says program founder Judy Schaffer. But in Israel, much of the population has been more closely involved with war. "These people can provide the emotional and spiritual support needed to help traumatized vets." Throughout the trip, the American vets - none of whom has been Jewish - travel with several current and former Israeli soldiers, building bonds as they share experiences.
2013-03-01 00:00:00
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